Cancer Characteristics and Personality

Element: Water

Mode: Cardinal

 

Moving from Gemini and the quest for knowledge to Cancer, the individual enters the stage where what is sought after is a shelter and protection.

Upon meeting a Cancer, the first words that spring to mind are ‘home’ and ‘family’. It is the sign in most need of emotional security and a sense of belonging. That is the reason why Cancer people see their home and family as a shelter satisfying their need for bonds with the past. The past forms a very important part in their life and, therefore, it comes as no surprise that they often show a great interest in history.

Cancer is –not randomly– symbolised by the Crab; the way in which Cancereans act (and, in some cases, even the way in which they move) resembles that of crabs. It is sideways and oblique due to shyness, and if someone has Cancer prominent in their birth chart, their timidity is bound to make them feel easily embarrassed.  

It is widely believed that Cancer people are characterised by intense mood swings. That is only a half truth, since their mood swings are due to the fact that they are always in absolute consonance with their environment’s prevailing emotional ambience and, as a consequence, their sensitive nature makes them perceive even the slightest change in the atmosphere and experience it so intensely that their mood transforms in a matter of minutes.

Another principal attribute of Cancereans is that they tend to become overprotective with their family and generally all the people they regard as ‘family’, and to assume the role of ‘mother’ within their companies and/or in their personal relationships. They also greatly cherish humour, as laughter provides them with the emotional safety they need in order to coexist with others. Sometimes, they might even share a joke with people they do not see as part of their ‘family’. Of course, they would never have anyone not belonging to their ‘family’ sleep over at their place.

Equally typical of Cancer people is the treasuring of memories. They have a very strong memory; they do not recall events so much as their emotional state in each situation, even if many years have passed since it transpired.